Electrical protective device



Nov. 11, 1947. T. H. BOWEN ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE DEVICE Filed June 12,1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fr 70 91/5 Y.

Nov. 11, 1947. T. H. BOWEN ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE DEVICE Filed June 12,1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HrToRMEK Patented Nov. 11, 1947 ELECTRICALPROTECTIVE DEVICE Thomas H. Bowen, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to James R.Kearney Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of MissouriApplication June 12, 1944, Serial No. 539,934

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to electrical protective devices andmore specifically to protecting devices for protecting linemen at workon poles, and in other situations, from accidental contact withenergized electrical lines, the predominant object of the inventionbeing to provide a simple device of this type which is capable of easyand convenient application to an energized electrical line and whichwhen so applied provides for a lineman the maximum protection againstinjury caused by accidental contact with the energized line.

As is well known to persons familiar with such matters, linemen arefrequently required to work high on poles and towers, and in othersituations, where they are in close proximity to energized electricalconductors. In such a situation a hazard is produced by the proximity ofthe energized lines which prevents the linemen from working with theirusual freedom of movement and speed, because of the constant fear ofreceiving shocks or burns as a result of parts of the bodies of thelinemen coming into accidental contact with the energized lines. Thepresent invention provides protective means, which may be convenientlyapplied to portions of the energized lines adjacent to the points atwhich the linemen are to work, whereby the hazard referred to isentirely eliminated so that the linemen may give their entire attentionto the work at hand without the necessity of careful avoidance ofcontact with the energized lines.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved protective device.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with parts of the device shown insection and with parts thereof in changed positions.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-section taken on line 3-3 ofFig. 2, showing the device as it appears as it is about to be applied toa conductor.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig, 3, showing the device applied to aconductor but before final adjustment of the device to its closedposition relative to the conductor.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the device, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2,and with a conductor to which the device is being applied shown insection.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of the device showing same applied toa conductor and being adjusted to its closed position relative to saidconductor.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the device as it appearswhen it has been adjusted to its closed position relative to aconductor.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken on the lines 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a view illustrating a pair of the protective devices appliedto an electrical conductor which is shown as bein supported by across-arm of a pole (not shown).

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of a hood with which the protective devicesmay be associated during certain uses thereof.

11 is a side elevation of the hood illustrated in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing the hood, illustrated inFigs. 10 and 11, associated with the protective devices.

g. 13 is a fragmentary vertical section show ing the manner in which aprotective device is engaged with the hood when in use.

In the drawings, wherein is shown for purposes of illustration, merely,one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved protectivedevice generally. The protective device A comprises an outer tubularmember I, the wall of which is provided with an opening 2 which extendsfrcm end to end of said outer tubular member, said outer tubular memberbeing formed of wood, fiber, or other suitable electrical insulatingmaterial. Arranged concentrically within the outer tubular member I isan inner tubular member 3 which is of substantially less diameter thansaid outer tubular member and which likewise is formed of wood, fiber,or other suitable ele trical insulating material, said inner tubularmember being provided with an opening 4 which is formed in the wallthereof and extends from' end to end of said inner tubular member.

Arranged within the outer tubular member I at points adjacent to theopposite ends thereof, and pinned or otherwise fixed thereto at theinner face of said outer tubular member, is a pair of arcuate bearingelements 5, said arcuate bearing elements including openings 6 which arealined with the opening 2 of the outer tubular member I. Portions of theouter face of the inner tubular member 3 contact movably with the innerfaces of the bearing elements 5 so as to support the inner tubularmember axially within the outer tubular member and to provide forrelative rotary movement of said outer tubular member and said innertubular member. Because of the arrangement of the outer and innertubular members, as just described, it is obvious that the openings 2and 4 of said outer and inner tubular members may be brought intoalinement, by relative rotation of said outer and inner tubular members,so as to provide a passageway which leads from the exterior of the outertubular member to the interior of the inner tubular member, and thatsaid outer and inner tubular members may be subjected to such relativerotary move ment so as to offset the openings 2 and 4 thereof withrespect to each other so as to close the passageway referred to, as isshown in Fig. '7.

The inner tubular member 3' has fixed thereto at one end thereof anarcuate abutment element 1 (Fig. 2) which is formed of electricalinsulating material and which abuts against the bearing element 5 at thecorresponding end of the protective device so as to prevent longitudinalmovement of the inner tubular member with respect to the outer tubularmember to the right as the protec tive device is illustrated in Fig. 2.The abutment element '1 is shaped in accordance with the crosssectionalshape of the inner tubular member, in that said abutment elementincludes an opening which coincides with the opening 4 of said innertubular member.

At the end of the protective device A opposite to the end thereof atwhich the abutment element '1 is located, the inner tubular member 3extends beyond the end of the outer tubular memher i a slight distance,as is shown to good advantage in Figs. 1 and 2. Pinned, or otherwisesecured to the extended end portion of the inner tubular member 3 is anarm 8 which includes an arcuate head portion to that embraces saidextended end portion of said inner tubular member, said head portionbeing provided with an opening 8b which coincides with the opening or"the inner tubular member (Figs. 5, 6, and 7), and extended from saidarcuate head portion of said arm 8 is a shank portion 80. The shankportion 80 of the arm 8 is provided with an extension 8d oi reducedwidth to which is secured by a pivot 9 for pivotal movement, anelongated handle it, said handle bein split longitudinally for a portionof its length, as is shown in Fig. 5, and the opposed parts of the splitportion of the handle being drawn together by a bolt and nut assemblyil. Because of this arrangement the contacting faces of the handle andthe extension 8d of the arm 8 are drawn into close, frictionalengagement with each other so that the handle will remain in anyposition to which it is adjusted.

The protective device includes a second handle assembly that isassociated with the outer tubular member l and which is constructed andarranged in accordance with the handle assembly of the inner tubularmember 3 as just described. In other words, the handle assembly of theouter tubular member 3 includes an arm 12 which is provided with anarcuate head 12a that is pinned, or otherwise secured to the outertubular member, said head being provided with an opening lib thatcoincides with the opening 2 of said outer tubular member. This head 12ahas extended therefrom a shank portion 12c that is provided with anextension i2d of reduced width to which an elongated handle i3 isattached by a pivot is for pivotal movement. The handle is provided witha longitudinally split portion, as shown in Fig. 3, with a bolt and nutassembly I5 provided for drawing the opposed parts of the split portionof the handle together to obtain close frictional contact between thecontacting faces of the handle and the extension [2d of the arm l2 sothat the handle will remain in positions to which it is adjusted.

In the use of the improved protective device as thus far describedherein, the handles [B and I3 are moved to parallel, vertical positionswhere they extend downwardly from the assembled outer and inner tubularmembers I and 3, as is shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, and when the handlesare so disposed the openings 2 and 4 of the outer and inner tubularmembers are arranged in registration, as is shown to good advantage inFigs. 3 and 5. The lineman grasps the handles [0 and I3 and elevates theprotective device to the proper position and elevation with respect tothe conductor to which the protective device is to be applied, as isshown in Fig. 3 wherein the conductor is designated by the referencecharacter C. The lineman then lowers the protective device with respectto the conductor 0 so as to cause said conductor to pass through theopenings 2 and 4 of the outer and inner tubular members I and 3, thedownward movement of the protective device being arrested when theconductor extends through the inner tubular member 3, and the topportion of the inner face of said inner tubular members contacts the topportion of the surface of the conductor, as is shown in Fig. 4. Next,the lineman rotates one or the other of the handles about the axis ofthe assembled outer and inner tubular members through an arc ofapproximately which subjects the outer and inner tubular members torelative axial rotation and serves to offset the openings 2 and A ofsaid outer and inner tubular members with respect to each other as isshown in Fig. '7. This causes the conductor portion to which thprotective device is applied to be completely enclosed by the electricalinsulating outer and inner tubular members, and the handles it! and i3are then folded against the outer tubular member as is shown in Figs. 1and 9.

In Fig. 9 is shown a condition where a pair of the improved protectivedevices A are applied to a conductor C at opposite sides of an insulatorD of a cross-arm E of a pole (not shown). In some situations, however,it is desirable also to afford protection to linemen with respect to theportion of a conductor which passes a cross-arm insulator and the tiewires which secure the conductor to the insulator. lhe hood shown inFigs. 10 and 11, is provided for this purpose, and said hood comprises ahousing, formed of wood, fiber, or other suitable electrical insulatingmaterial, said housing being made up of opposed side walls 18a whichmerge into a curved top wall liib, and opposed, inclined end walls i6c.Formed in the opposed end walls of the hood It are alined openings Ii,shaped as is shown in Fig. 10, that is to say, each of said openings llcomprises an upper substantially circular portion ila. and a verticalslot IEb which leads into the lower portion of said upper circularopening portion i'i'a and which is provided with a lower flared portionilc. Also, the hood is is provided with a suitable handle l3, fixed toits top wall, which facilitates handling thereof.

When the hood I6 is to be used in association with a pair of theprotective devices A, the protective devices are applied in embracingrelation with respect to the conductor, in the manner previouslyexplained herein, and in spaced relation with respect to the cross-arminsulator D. The hood i6 is then passed downwardly over the cross-arminsulator D and the adjacent end portions of the protective devices areintroduced into the circular opening portions Ha of the hood. In orderto lock the protective devices A to the hood l6 the outer tubular memberof each protective device is provided, at the end portion thereof whichis introduced into a circular opening portion l'la of the hood with anoutstanding lug 19. The circular opening portions Ha of the hood areonly slightly larger than the diameters of the outer tubular members Iof the protectiv devices A, and in introducing the end portions of theouter tubular members of the protective devices into the circularopening portions Ha of the hood E6 the lugs 19 are positioned so thatthey will pass laterally through the slot portions 11b of the openingsll of the hood. The protective devices are then rotated approximately180 to bring the lugs I 9 to positions at the tops of the circularopening portions I la, and inwardly of the end walls of the hood inwhich said opening portions are formed, so that said lugs overlap solidportions of said end walls of the hood and thereby lock the protectivedevices to the hood, as is shown in Fig. 13.

I claim:

1. A protective device comprising an outer tubular member having anopening formed longitudinally thereof, an inner tubular member disposedaxially within said outer member and having an opening formedlongitudinally thereof, bearing elements arranged within said outermember for supporting the wall of said inner member in spaced relationwith respect to the wall of said outer member so as to adapt said outerand inner members for relative rotary movement whereby the openings ofsaid outer and inner members may be brought into registration and saidopenings of said outer and inner members may be moved to positions wherethey are offset with respect to each other, and means in cluding handlesassociated with said outer and inner members which facilitate relativerotation thereof, one of said handles being associated with said outermember and another handle being associated with said inner member.

2. A protective device comprising an outer tubular member having anopening formed longitudinally thereof, an inner tubular member disposedaxially within said outer member and having an opening formedlongitudinally thereof, bearing elements arranged within said outermember for supporting the wall of said inner member in spaced relationwith respect to the wall of said outer member so as to adapt said outerand inner members for relative rotary movement whereby the openings ofsaid outer and inner members may be brought into registration and saidopenings of said outer and inner members may be moved to positions wherethey are offset with respect to each other, said bearing elementscomprising spaced arcuate elements fixed to said outer member and havingopenings which coincide with the opening of said outer member, and meansassociated with said outer and inner members which facilitate relativerotation thereof.

3. A protective apparatus including a device comprising an outer memberhaving an openin formed longitudinally thereof, an inner member disposedaxially within said outer member and having an opening formedlongitudinally thereof, said outer and inner members being adapted forrelative rotary movement to bring the openings thereof into registrationand to move said openings to offset relation with respect to each other,means associated with said outer and inner members which facilitaterelative rotation thereof, a separable hood adapted for association withsaid device which is provided with an openin in a wall thereof throughwhich an end portion of said device is adapted to be extended, and meansassociated with said device which is adapted to lock said device to saidhood.

4. A protective apparatus including a device comprising an outer memberhaving an opening formed longitudinally thereof, an inner memberdisposed axially within said outer member and having an opening formedlongitudinally thereof, said outer and inner members being adapted forrelative rotary movement to bring the openings thereof into registrationand to move said openings to offset relation with respect to each other,and means associated with said outer and inner members which facilitaterelative rotation thereof, a hood adapted for association with saiddevice which is provided with an opening in a wall thereof through whichan end portion of said device is adapted to be extended, and meansassociated with said device which is adapted to lock said device to saidhood, the last-mentioned means comprising a lug formed on the outermember of said device which is adapted to be passed with said devicethrough a portion of the opening of said hood and which may be adjustedby rotating said device with respect to said hood to a position wheresaid lug is disposed inwardly of a portion of wall of said hood throughwhich said hood opening is formed.

THOMAS H. BOWEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 568,060 Wood Sept. 22, 1896992,738 Marshall May 16, 1911 1,141,674 Withers June 1, 1915 1,598,155Salisbury Aug. 31, 1926 1,668,513 Millward May 1, 1928 1,877,035 PalmerSept. 13, 1932 1,988,604 Merrill Jan. 22, 1935

